Fresh Mugwort, Ginger and Egg Soup

Why people make this soup

Every Dragon Boat Festival, families in the Cantonese countryside would hang bundles of mugwort at the doorway to ward off pests — its distinctive aroma is said to repel mosquitoes, snakes, and insects. But mugwort has long been a kitchen medicine too, particularly valued in women’s health. If a woman has a habit of eating cold foods, drinking iced drinks, or is frequently exposed to cold environments, the uterus can accumulate cold, leading to poor circulation and painful periods. Mugwort (ai ye) is warming and moving: it is associated with dispelling cold-dampness, improving circulation, calming asthma, reducing inflammation, and stopping bleeding. Combined with ginger and brown sugar — both warming and circulation-promoting — this simple soup has been trusted across generations as a natural way to ease cramps that come from internal cold rather than heat.